Once again, innovative products for industrial automation and process optimization significantly outperformed overall growth. But one traditional product also surprised. In addition to Asia and the USA, Eastern Europe was one of the growth markets last year. Further investments at the Fellbach site and in additional jobs are expected to continue this trend. The Fellbach-based company is already focusing on a new trend topic.

Johannes Maier, Managing Partner of Andreas Maier GmbH & Co. KG (AMF): "Additive manufacturing is becoming a new growth market in which we have already positioned ourselves well with special products."

"Additive manufacturing, 3D printing with metal powder, is becoming a new growth market in which we have already positioned ourselves well with special products," emphasizes Johannes Maier, Managing Partner of the company. In 2017, the long-established company grew by more than ten percent and achieved a record turnover of over 48 million euros for the fifth time in a row. This was once again due to the innovative products for workpiece clamping technology and the automation of machining processes. However, a traditional product, quick-release clamps, also performed surprisingly well.

Complete solutions from AMF are developed on a customer-specific basis. (Image: AMF)

The main reason for this is the high demand for high-quality clamping devices. "We adapted to this development at an early stage and developed precisely the innovative products that the market needs as catalog products. And those who can deliver quickly do the business," says Maier. One of the strengths of the family-run company is its ability to identify sustainable trends at an early stage and develop the right products for them. The more than 240 employees, who are close to customers worldwide and learn about their needs through direct contact, contribute to this.

Asia and the USA once again recorded the strongest growth. Eastern Europe also developed well, although Russia remains a problem child. In addition to the perennial hot topics of automation, rationalization and digitalization, additive manufacturing is emerging as an upcoming technology and megatrend. Experts believe that 3D printing with metal powder has great potential for the future. It can be used to economically manufacture products with complex geometries that are sometimes impossible to produce using conventional methods. Maier believes his company is already well positioned in this area: "We have already developed special AMF zero-point clamping modules that meet the very specific requirements."